Economics

Reality check regarding Hostess bankruptcy

Hostess has been sold at least three times since the 1980s, racking up debt and shedding profitable assets along the way with each successive merger. The company filed for bankruptcy in 2004, and again in 2011. Little thought was given to the line of products, which, frankly, began to seem a bit dated in the age of the gourmet cupcake.

Bitcoin Friday! One day sale from tons of Bitcoin merchants!

Bitcoin Friday! This is a Pre-Black Friday of sorts. A one day sale event at all Bitcoin merchants along with a unified attempt at advertising Bitcoin businesses. This means we need your help in two ways: please buy something with your bitcoins and please tell the world that Bitcoin businesses exist!

78 percent of Bitcoin currency stashed under digital mattress

More than three-quarters of the digital coins in the Bitcoin digital currency scheme aren't circulating because they remain dormant in user accounts that have never participated in outgoing transactions, a recently published study has found.

Arizona Hospital Charges Woman $83,000 To Treat Scorpion Sting which includes two doses of anti-venom at nearly $40,000 per dose that is sold for $100 per dose in Mexican pharmacies. Now explain to me again that why health care costs are rising?

After months of planning we are glad to announce we will be holding the Bitcoin Conference in London. The first conference was held by Mitchell Bourne in association with us. He set an amazing standard, showed us the ropes and bestowed us with considerable experience. This year he will be taking a diminished role as we take over the chariot. We hope to live up to the high standard he set last year.

HSBC Bank USA used by 'drug kingpins and rogue nations'

HSBC provided a conduit for "drug kingpins and rogue nations", according to a US Senate committee investigating money laundering claims at the bank. Its report said suspicious funds from countries including Mexico, Iran and Syria had passed through the bank. The president and chief executive of HSBC Bank USA, Irene Dorner, apologised to the committee for the behaviour which she said deeply regretted. Earlier, HSBC's head of compliance, David Bagley, resigned at the hearing.

Credit Card Issuers Agree to Settlement Over Surcharges - WSJ.com

Visa Inc. and MasterCard Inc. agreed to pay scores of retailers more than $6 billion to settle a long-running lawsuit in an agreement that also permits merchants to charge higher prices to customers who pay for purchases with credit cards.

The settlement is expected to have wide-ranging implications for consumers, retailers and the card industry. It is also the latest victory for merchants, who have recently logged some significant wins in their efforts to reduce their cost of accepting plastic.